GeneNews Reports Second Quarter 2010 Financial Results

TORONTO, CANADA (August 10, 2010):

GeneNews Limited (TSX:GEN), a company focused on developing blood-based biomarker tests for the early detection of diseases and personalized health management, today reported operational and financial results for the three- and six- months ended June 30, 2010.

Recent highlights:

  • Executed a formal marketing partnership agreement with GeneDiagnostics Inc. to market and sell ColonSentry™, the world's first blood-based test to determine a person's current risk for colorectal cancer, in China.
  • Presentation of positive ColonSentry™ validation data from a 210-patient Malaysian study entitled "Blood-based Seven-gene Biomarker Panel for Colorectal Cancer: Validation in Malaysia" at the 2010 National Committee for Clinical Research conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia June 2 to 4.
  • Granted two new U.S. patents for Schizophrenia and Osteoarthritis, representing specific practical applications of the Company's core platform technology, the Sentinel Principle®.
  • Management and Board changes including the appointment of Ms. Leslie Auld as Chief Financial Officer, the election of Ms. Gailina J. Liew, GeneNews' President and Chief Operating Officer, to the Company's Board of Directors and the re-election of six incumbent directors at the Company's annual shareholder meeting.

"Throughout the second quarter, we continued to focus on the commercialization of our lead product, ColonSentry™. Now, as we move into the second half of the year, we will continue to work with our U.S. marketing partner, Enzo Clinical Labs, and our Chinese marketing partner, GeneDiagnostics, as they prepare to launch ColonSentry in their respective territories," said Ms. Liew. "At the same time, we will continue to pursue financing activities and discussions with additional potential ColonSentry™ marketing and strategic partners for other regions of the United States, Europe and Asia."

Financial results:

For the three months ended June 30, 2010, the Company reported a consolidated net loss of $1,291,648, or $0.02 loss per common share, as compared to a consolidated net loss of $1,755,474, or $0.03 loss per common share for the three months ended June 30, 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company reported a consolidated net loss of $2,729,136, or $0.04 loss per common share, as compared to a consolidated net loss of $3,724,755, or $0.07 loss per common share, for the six months ended June 30, 2009. This year-to-date improved financial performance is primarily due to a 38% reduction in research and development costs that resulted from reductions in the number of scientific and technical staff needed to support the Company's ColonSentry™ test service through its Canadian operations.

As at June 30, 2010, the Company's unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, cash held in trust and short-term investments amounted to $1,090,144. Subsequent to quarter-end, the Company received over $800,000 in non-dilutive cash, primarily into the Company's Malaysian subsidiary for the development of liver cancer and hepatitis biomarkers.

As previously disclosed, the Company has retained Dundee Securities Corporation, a Canadian-based investment dealer, and Reedland Capital Partners, an institutional division of Financial West Investment Group, Inc., a US-based, SEC-registered broker-dealer, to assist in expanding the Company's shareholder base and accessing additional working capital to support the pursuit of its milestones in 2010.

The Company's financial statements and management's discussion and analysis are available on www.sedar.com.

About GeneNews

GeneNews is an emerging molecular diagnostics company focused on the application of functional genomics to enable early diagnosis and personalized health management based on disease-specific biomarkers. The Company has a patented core platform technology, the Sentinel Principle®, which has the power to detect and stage virtually any disease or medical condition from a simple blood sample. GeneNews is currently applying the Sentinel Principle® in major areas with unmet clinical needs such as cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders. GeneNews launched its first commercial product, ColonSentry™, a blood-based test to assess an individual's risk for colorectal cancer, in Canada in 2008. The company’s first US marketing partner, Enzo Clinical Labs, is expected to launch the ColonSentry™ test in New York and New Jersey in the second half of 2010. For more information on GeneNews and ColonSentry™, visit www.genenews.com or www.ColonSentry.com.

Financial statements are available in the attached pdf document. [ Download PDF ]

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein. Investors should consult the Company's ongoing quarterly filings and annual reports for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.